Leaping Into The Unknown…

Someone once told me that I’m extremely self-aware and have a never-ending quest to do what makes me happy. The someone who was giving me this “talking to” thought he was pointing out my tendencies of being a self-destructive fool so I could change my ways. Despite that super awkward conversation four years ago, I’m glad to report that if anything has changed, it’s that I’m more of those things that were pointed out as negative aspects to my personality. The reason I felt the need to share this is because at the end of May, I said farewell to life on the Emerald Isle for just those reasons. To those who knew me, the news of my departure came as no surprise since Ireland and I could be best compared to a square peg and a round hole. Over the last few months, I’ve been heavily questioned about what I didn’t like about Ireland but my leaving has very little to do with my fondness or lack there of for the country. Despite appearances and the randomness I vomited from time to time, I don’t dislike Ireland at all. I think Ireland is a fun little country worth visiting but what I’ve learned in the past year is visiting and living are two very different things.

Despite my struggles with living in Ireland, I have no regrets about making the move that I did. Without it, I wouldn’t be leaving with the experiences and friendships that I consider priceless. Once people accepted the fact that I was leaving, the next question was where to next on my trip around the world. The honest answer, after I recovered from the assumption that I’m doing a trip around the world, is that I don’t know. What I do know is that I would like the next city that I live in to be one I settle in. Maybe it’s just old age rearing its ugly head but I think it would be nice to be less nomadic without losing any of my travel perks. I know that will be a tough point to negotiate but I’m a firm believer that you don’t get things you don’t ask for.

At present time, there are multiple factors in play that will eventually determine where I’ll go but for the time being, I’ve fallen in love with being a jobless layabout gallivanting around Europe. If this is going to be the last hurrah then I’m going to have to make it count, right? Anyway, as far as my summer travel plans go, I have a concept of where I’m going and what friends are meeting me along the way and the rest will sort itself out. Fingers crossed anyway.